Elongated housing



1967 P. J. GOLASZ ELONGATED HOUSING Filed July 13, 1964 United StatesFatent Gfiice 3369,94 Patented Jan. 31, 1967 3,300,940 ELONGATED HQUSINGPaul J. Golasz, 5334 S. 73rd Ave, Summit, Ill. 60501 Filed July 13,1964, Ser. No. 382,248 13 Claims. (Cl. 52718) My invention relates to abuilding product and, more particularly, to a housing or covering whichmay be mounted in position to simulate a solid building structure, orwhich may be used to cover an existing structure.

In recent years, so-called dropped beam ceilings have become popular togive a room a more appealing esthetic and decorative appearance. In suchdropped beam ceilings, solid wooden beams are mounted beneath theceiling so that the beams either support the ceiling or give theappearance of supporting the ceiling. The walls which support the beamshave to be structurally strong, and often such walls have to bereinforced to support the additional weight of solid woo-den beams.

Thus, the installation of wooden beams to provide a dropped beam ceilingis expensive especially'in houses or buildings which are already built.Further the beams themselves are costly.

In the building industry, it is frequently necessary to cover anexisting structure such as a bare pipe, Lbeam, an unfinished piece oflumber or similar structure to give it a more decorative appearance. Insuch cases, frequently a covering frame is formed around the existingstructure. The price of materials used for such purposes and the cost ofinstallation are often very high.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of my invention to provide ahousing or covering which may be mounted in position to simulate a solidbuilding structure.

It is another object of my invention to provide a decorative simulatedwooden beam which may be used in dropped beam ceilings.

It is another object of my invention to provide a simulated wooden beamwhich is inexpensive and which can be easily mounted into position.

It is still a further object of my invention to provide a housing orcovering which may be easily mounted into position and which may bedismounted or disassembled with a minimum of effort.

It is still another object of my invention to provide a housing orcovering which is light in weight and which may be mounted on relativelylight bracket or holder units.

It is yet a further object of my invention to provide a housing orcovering which may be formed of cardboard or any suitable light materialand which may be cut in a desired configuration and formed and mountedin the desired shape.

It is yet a further object of my invention to provide a housing orcovering which may be shipped as a fiat piece of material and which canbe easily formed into the desired shape and mounted in position at thelocation of usage.

In the attainment of the foregoing objects, I provide a housing orcovering which may be cut as a flat sheet into a desired shape, andwhich may be formed into a desired shape at the location of usage. Thehousing or covering includes a body portion having two ends formingfolding edges or tongues. The edges of the housing are received inrecessed formed brackets mounted in a base surface and tension meanshold the edges of the housing in the recesses to secure the housing inits mounted position.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be come' apparent inthe following detailed description and in the accompanying drawingsforming a part of this specification and in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a housing or covering according to theinvention and is in the form of a wooden beam;

FIG. 2 shows a fiat sheet from which the beam of FIG. 1 is formed;

FIG. 3 shows the top portion of the beam of FIG. 1 and the tension meansin the form of a string arranged to hold the edges of the beam inposition;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view which shows a bracket for supporting thebeam of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows an isometric view of a plate for joining or abutting twobeams;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a molding strip which may be positionedat the ends of the beam;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view showing a modification 0f the molding stripof FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of a circular housing according to theinvention;

FIG. 9 is an isometric view of another embodiment of my inventionadapted to be mounted to enclose an I-beam; and

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view of the left hand portion of themolding strip of FIG. 7.

Referring to FIG. 1, the housing of my invention is shown in the form ofan elongated beam 11 having a rectangular cross section which may bemounted beneath a ceiling to simulate a solid wooden beam and give theappearance of a dropped beam ceiling. The beam 11 has an external colorand markings such as, for example, to simulate the lumber grains of awooden beam. The beam 11 is preferably formed of a relatively heavycardboard, but it may also be of light metal, plastic, or other suitablematerial. The bottom 12 and the two sides 13 and 14 of the rectangulabeam are closed. The top of the beam is open along its length andincludes two fold edges 15a and 15b. The fold edges 15a and 1512 arereceived by brackets 20 which support the beam 11 in position on theceiling 21. A number of brackets 20 (see also FIG. 4) are positioned inspaced relation to provide support to the entire length of the beam 11.The length of the brackets 20, that is, the dimension transverse to theaxis of the beam is approximately the same as the internal dimension ofthe beam 11, and the width of the bracket 20 may be of any convenientsize. The brackets include a raised center portion 27 of any convenientthickness, as about inch, and tiered or stepped down side portions 28aand 28b, which are stepped down approximately the thickness of thematerial from which the beam 11 is made. The length of the centerportion measured transverse to the axis of the beam is such that thewidth of the folding edges 15a and 1512 added to the length of thecenter portion is equal to the inside width of the bottom 12 of beam 11;this assures that the beam 11 assumes a rectangular shape when mountedin position. An aligning notch 29 is formed in the center portion 27 ina direction transverse to the length of the bracket 20. The brackets 20are secured to the ceiling 21 as by screws 26 inserted through apertures30 formed in center portion 27. When the bracket 20 is mounted, thetiered down or stepped portion 28a and 28b form recesses of a heightsufiicient to snugly receive the respective edges 15a and 15b of thebeam 11. If desired, to make an even tighter fit, the recesses 28a and2811 may be tapered with the larger dimension of the taper being at theends of the bracket tapering toward a smaller dimension at the step ofthe recesses 28a and 28b with center portion 27. A tension string member23 (see also FIG.

3) such as of an elastic or spring material of any suitable known typeis connected at either end to expandable clips or hooks 24a and 24bwhich are inserted into apertures 22 formed in the folding edges a and15b of the beam 11. The clips are of any suitable known type which onceinserted in the apertures 22 from one side of edge 15a expand or hookand engage the opposite side of edge 15a. The tension members 23 tend todraw or pull the edges 15a and 15b together. In one preferred embodimentof the invention, I found metal tipped elastic to functionsatisfactorily as tension members 23.

The beam 11 is initially formed and preferably shipped as a flat sheetlabelled 11a, as shown in FIG. 2. The sheet 11a is formed of any desiredlength. The sheet 11a is scored or gr-OOVed on the inner side of thesheet as indicated by the dotted lines 25A, 25B, 25C and 25D to definethe edges 15a and 15b, the bottom 12, and the sides 13 and 14, to thuspermit the sheet 11a to be folded in the desired form of the beam 11.

In mounting the housing 11, the first step is to align the brackets andaffix the brackets into the ceiling such as by screws 26. To positionthe brackets, a line is drawn on the ceiling 21 and the aligning notch29 on each bracket is centered on this line. I have found that spacingthe brackets at about 30" intervals provides good support for a beammade of heavy cardboard. After the brackets 20 are mounted in position,the sheet 11 is folded along the various scoring or grooves A, 25B, 25Cand 25D to form the elongated rectangular shaped beam 11.

Next, the clips 24a and 24b of the spring members 23 are inserted intorespective apertures 22 formed in the respective edges 15a and 15b.Preferably, the clips 24a and 241) are inserted from the external sideof the edges 15a and 15b so that clips are substantially flush with theexternal side of the edges and do not obstruct the mounting.Alternatively, the tension member, if it is elastic, rubber, or thelike, can be stapled into the beam. As mentioned above, tension member23 urges the edges 15a and 15b toward one another.

As will be readily appreciated when the housing of my invention is usedto cover an existing structure such as a pipe, the sheet 11a may befolded around the selected pipe before the tension members 23 areinserted in apertures 22.

To mount the beam 11 on the brackets 20, the folding edges 15a and 15bare pulled apart against the tension of member 23, and to a position inwhich the edges 15a and 1511 can be slipped over the ends of a bracket'20. After the edges 15a and 15]) are slipped over a bracket 20 theedges 15a and 15b are released and the tension of member 23 urges theedges 15a and 15b into the recesses formed by tiered portions 28a and28b. The center portion 27 of the brackets 20 is of a width and thefolding edges 15a and 15b are dimensioned such that when the edges 15aand 15b are drawn by tension member 23 into engagement with the centerportion 27 the housing will assume a rectangular shape. The sameoperation is performed throughout the length of the beam to mount thefolding edges 15a and 15b in the brackets 20.

The beam 11 is made of a sturdy enough material such as heavy cardboardto maintain its rectangular cross sectional shape.

I found the best means of mounting the beam 11 which is of a dimensionlonger than the room in which it is mounted is to cut the beam just atrifle less (about /2 inch less) than the dimension of the room. Thispermits freer, easier handling of the beam and prevents wedging of thebeam against the walls as the beam is raised and mounted in position.Next, in order to close the space between the gall and the beam, amolding strip 32 is mounted on the I earn.

The molding strip 32 can be of the same material as the beam .and itsdimensions are such as to externally fit around the beam 11. As shown inFIG. 6, the molding strip 32 is V-shaped in cross section with the openpart of the V arranged to bear on the wall against which the end of thebeam rests. The molding strip 32 can be attached as by reuseabledouble-backed pressure sensitive tape of any well known type or byremovable clips indicated as 33.

Another embodiment of the molding strip, which does not need fastenersor screws for afiixing it to the beam is shown in FIG. 7. In theembodiment of FIG. 7, a V-shaped molding strip 34 generally similar tomolding strip 32 of FIG. 6 includes an insert portion 35 which fits overthe end of the beam 11 and extends internal into the end of the beam 11to hold the molding 34 in position.

A resilient material 44 such as sponge rubber is placed in the groove ofthe strip 34 into which the end of the beam 11 is inserted. When thebeam 11 is mounted, the end of the beam pushes against and compressesthe resilient material 44 which causes the molding strip 34 to pushagainst or firm up to the wall.

Another means of positioning the molding strip 34 between the ends ofthe beam 11 and the wall is shown in FIG. 10. Referring to FIGS. 7 and10, one end of a resilient band 233, such as a rubber band, is affixedto the left (as oriented in the figures) mid section 39 of the strip 34,and the band 233 is extended around the left insert portion 35 of strip34 and across the molding strip and around the right insert portion 35,and is affixed to the right mid section 39 of strip 34. The end of thebeam 1.1 inserted into the groove of molding strip 34 will stretch theband 233 and cause the molding strip 34 to be pushed against or firm upto the wall.

In those cases where the length of the room is longer than the beamlength, I have found that two beams can be abutted to one another formounting, see FIG. 5. The abutting ends 45 of beams 11 and are cut tohave as close a mating relation as possible. Next, preferably thick, butlightweight mating plates 36 and 37 made from plastic or any suitablematerial to resemble metal, and each having bolt receiving holes arepositioned across the abutting joint 35 such as by thick but lightweightdummy nut and bolt plastic units 38. I have found that by exaggeratingthe connection between the abutting joints of beams 11 and 110 by theuse of large plates such as 36 and 37 and the nut and bolt units 38, avery appealing esthetic appearance results.

As mentioned above, the housing of my invention can be of rectangularcross section as is beam 11 or it can be of any other desired crosssectional shape. For example, another embodiment of my invention isshown in FIG. 8 wherein the housing or covering is in the form of a beam111 having a circular cross section. The bracket mounting means forafiixing the beam 111 to the ceiling 20 is the same as that for beam 11of FIGS. l-7. The beam 111 includes folding edges 115a and 115b whichare utilized to mount the beam 111 in the same manner as for beam 11.Thus the beam 11 simulates a rectangular wooden beam, and beam 111simulates a circular or round wooden beam. For the circular beam 111, arounded molding strip similar to molding strips 32 and 34 would be used.

Another embodiment of the beam 11 of FIG. 1, especially arranged to bemounted to enclose an I-beam 40 is shown in FIG. 9 and labelled as beam211. The beam 211 has to be of a large enough cross sectional dimensionto completely enclose the I-beam. Otherwise, the beam 211 is similar inshape to the beam 11. The principal modification of the beam 211 of FIG.'9 over the beam 11 of FIG. 1 is the mounting means. To mount the beam211, each of the brackets 20 of FIG. I are cut along the center line 29to form separate brackets 20A and 208 which are atfixed to the ceilingsuch as by suitable screws 26. Alternatively, brackets 20A and 208 mayinitially be formed as separate pieces. The

plurality of brackets 20A and 20B are positioned along the side of theoverhanging upper portion of the I-beam 40. As can be readilyappreciated, in the embodiment of FIG. 9, a tension means cannot connectside edges of beam 211 in the same manner that elastic band 23 con nectsside edge a to the opposite side edge 15b of the beam 11 of FIG. 1. Inview of this, in the embodiment of FIG. 9, an elastic band 123 isconnected to spaced points on the same side edge of the beam 211. A hookarm 43 is mounted on the brackets A and 2013 (for purposes of example, ahook arm 43 is shown only in connection with one bracket ZfiA), and arm43 is positioned to extend under the overhanging upper portion of theI-beam. When mounting beam 211, the elastic band 123 is hooked on thehook arm 43 to tend to draw or pull the respective side edge of the beam211 inwardly toward the I-beam 40.

Further, while a separate tension member 23 is utilized in mounting thebeams described above, it has been found that a resilient material suchas extruded plastic can be pre-formed as a housing to itself effect theinwardly pulling force on the side edges provided by tension member 23.

It will be appreciated that while the housing of my invention has beendescribed as being in the form of beams 11, 111 and 211 for mounting onceilings, my housing can also be mounted on a vertical wall to simulatea pillar or other perpendicularly oriented support, or my housing can bemounted to cover an existing vertical structure. The means of mountingmy housing in a vertical position is the same as described above formounting my housing on a ceiling to simulate a beam.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out thefundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferredembodiment and modifications thereof, it will be understood that variousomissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of thedevice illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled inthe art, without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is theintention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope ofthe following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A simulated solid beam, comprising, in combination, a sheet materialfolded to have the edges of the sheet facing one another,

means positioned at spaced points along side edges of said sheet fortensionally urging said edges toward one another and holding said edgesin position, bracket means supporting said beam in position,

each said bracket means forming receiving portions of respective ones ofsaid edges,

and spacing means associated with said bracket for spacing said sideedges so that said beam assumes its desired cross sectional shape.

2. A simulated solid beam comprising in combination, a sheet materialfolded to have the side edges of the sheet facing one another insubstantially the same plane,

tension means aflixed to spaced points along said side edges urging saidedges toward one another, bracket means having a raised center portionand recessed outer portions,

said center portion supporting said beam in position and said recessedouter portions receiving portions of respective ones of said side edges,

said tension means holding said side edges in said recesses, and

said raised portion spacing said side edges so that the beam assumes itsdesired cross sectional shape, whereby said beam may be mounted on saidbracket means by opening said side edges against the force of saidtension means and slipping said side edges around said brackets and intosaid recesses.

3. A bracket means according to claim 2 wherein said raised portion ismountable on a support surface and said recessed outer portions define aspace between the surface and the bracket for receiving said side edges.

4. A bracket means according to claim 2 wherein said bracket meansincludes an aligning notch.

5. A beam according to claim 1 wherein the sheet material is marked todesignate the desired folds.

6. A simulated elongated solid beam comprising, in combination, a sheetmaterial marked to designate the desired folds and forming in crosssection a rectangular shaped beam having three closed sides and an openside,

said open side having two fold edges spaced from one another,

tension means afiixed to said fold edges urging said fold edges towardone another,

and bracket means for receiving said fold edges and supporting saidbeam.

7. A simulated solid beam according to claim 2 including a molding striparranged to fit externally around the end of said beam and to bepositioned against a surface,

said strip having a groove for receiving theend of said beam,

and a resilient material positioned in said groove whereby when the endof the beam is received in said groove the resilient material will becompressed to cause said strip to push against and be firmed on saidsurface.

8. A simulated solid beam according to claim 2 including a molding striphaving an outer portion fitting externally around the end of said beam,

an insert portion insertable in the interior of said beam,

said strip having a groove for securing the end of said beam,

and a resilient string extending across said strip and being resilientlydeformed when said beam is received in said groove to thereby cause saidstrip to push against and be firmed on said surface.

9. A simulated solid beam according to claim 2 including plate means forjoining and abutting said beam with another similar beam.

10. A simulated solid beam according to claim 1 wherein said sheetmaterial is foldable to have a circular cross section.

11. A beam according to claim 1 wherein said sheet material is coloredand textured to simulate wood,

and wherein grooves are formed to indicate the lines where folds are tobe made.

12. A beam according to claim 2 wherein said tension means comprise aresilient material aflixed to said edges.

13. A building product for enclosing an Lbearn comprising, incombination, a sheet material folded to have the side edges of the sheetfacing one another in substantially the same plane,

tension means afiixed to spaced points along a side edge of said sheet,bracket means mounted adjacent said I-beam, each said bracket meansforming recesses for receiving portions of respective ones of said sideedges,

arms mounted with said bracket means and said tension means beingengaged by said arms for urging said side edges in toward said recesses.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 721,751 3/1903Scott 52105 X 1,284,113 11/1918 Kroder 248-262 2,074,463 3/1937 Davis52-105 X 3,169,006 2/1965 Lorentzen et al. 248262 FOREIGN PATENTS511,668 8/1939 Great Britain. 557,609 11/1943 Great Britain.

RICHARD W. COOKE, 1a., Primary Examiner.

1. A SIMULATED SOLID BEAM, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A SHEET MATERIALFOLDED TO HAVE THE EDGES OF THE SHEET FACING ONE ANOTHER, MEANSPOSITIONED AT SPACED POINTS ALONG SIDE EDGES OF SAID SHEET FORTENSIONALLY URGING SAID EDGES TOWARD ONE ANOTHER AND HOLDING SAID EDGESIN POSITION, BRACKET MEANS SUPPORTING SAID BEAM IN POSITION, EACH SAIDBRACKET MEANS FORMING RECEIVING PORTIONS OF RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAIDEDGES,